HISTORY
The series began in 2020 as an episodic discussion for educators to learn how to incorporate diversity into the current state of public relations education. Since 2020, IPR and PRSA have held more than 20 discussions and featured more than 70 different speakers from all sides of the industry. In 2022, the University of Texas at Austin Moody College of Communication joined as a sponsor for the series.
PREVIOUS SESSION:
Employee and customer polarization has skyrocketed since 2020, following the murder of George Floyd. This occurred due to companies and organizations of all sizes issuing statements about social justice and making commitments to address concerns about diversity, equity, and inclusion both inside and outside of their organizations. Many of these statements were immediately criticized for being shallow or performative. Additional anger has developed since as some organizations moved forward with half-measures, and others have backed away from these commitments after pushback from certain demographics.
Finding the message that is right for their organization and protects employees is the single largest challenge for communicators right now. In this panel, audience members will learn from practitioners and academics about how to use The DEPTH Model developed by Janet M. Stovall and panel participant Kim Clark from their book, The Conscious Communicator, which is designed to support communicators in shaping their DEI communications with authenticity and purpose.
PREVIOUS SESSIONS:
Employee and customer polarization has skyrocketed since 2020, following the murder of George Floyd. This occurred due to companies and organizations of all sizes issuing statements about social justice and making commitments to address concerns about diversity, equity, and inclusion both inside and outside of their organizations. Many of these statements were immediately criticized for being shallow or performative. Additional anger has developed since as some organizations moved forward with half-measures, and others have backed away from these commitments after pushback from certain demographics.
Finding the message that is right for their organization and protects employees is the single largest challenge for communicators right now. In this panel, audience members will learn from practitioners and academics about how to use The DEPTH Model developed by Janet M. Stovall and panel participant Kim Clark from their book, The Conscious Communicator, which is designed to support communicators in shaping their DEI communications with authenticity and purpose.
Resources:
The Conscious Communicator: The Fine Art of Not Saying Stupid Sh*t by Janet M. Stovall and Kim Clark
Nature of Work: The new story of work for a living age by Shimrit Janes
In this session of Diversity in the PR Classroom, “Diversity Communication as a Catalyst for Inclusive Employee-Organization Relations,” the panelists investigate the effects of digital public relations (DPR) subsidies on employee-organization relationship (EOR) for traditionally-marginalized groups versus non-marginalized groups. Drawing on EOR theory, the study uses a web survey to examine how DPR subsidies impact EOR for traditionally marginalized groups.
Resources:
The “Great Resignation” in Perspective by Maury Gittleman
Is Quiet Quitting Real? By Jim Harter
In our latest session of Diversity in the PR Classroom, “Women’s Leadership Journeys in PR,” we learned how our panel has navigated the PR industry, sharing the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Whether you’re a seasoned PR professional or just starting your journey, this virtual session promises to foster dialogue, connection, and the collective empowerment of women in leadership.
Watch the recording of Diversity in the PR Classroom, “Diverse Perspectives & The Future of Artificial Intelligence” for a thought-provoking session that brings together thought leaders from academic and industry backgrounds to explore the dynamic intersection of AI and diversity. Our panelists shared their insights, experiences, and visions for the role of diversity in shaping the future of AI.
The Institute for Public Relations and Cision just released a new report called,“The Business Case for Focusing on Employee Mental Health.” This study examines conversations about mental health in the workplace with a focus on employee and employer perspectives, burnout, quiet quitting, the four-day workweek, and current corporate mental health initiatives.
In this special episode of Diversity in the PR Classroom, attendees learn how employers and professors can adapt these findings to address mental health at work, in the classroom, and beyond.
Watch the playback to discover how burnout and other findings are impacting your students.
Some Key Findings:
- Gen Z and Millennials were the most frequent contributors to conversations about mental health.
- Some employers are testing out the four-day workweek with mixed results, but most reactions are positive from both the employer and employee perspectives.
- Employees said employee resource groups (ERGs) and peers in the workplace were critical support programs for mental health.
- Employees want benefits and policies to support their mental health such as flexibility, better time off policies, and stronger leave programs.
About the Panelists:
Olivia Kresic, M.A., is Senior Research and Outreach Manager at the Institute for Public Relations (IPR). She oversees the organization’s Commissions and Centers of Excellence, IPR Research Letter, and several research projects and partnerships.
Karen Stockert is a Sector Lead for Insights Consulting at Cision. In her 11 years with the company, she has led and conducted media insights research and analysis for enterprise clients in healthcare, non-profit, public sector and B2C who seek to better understand the impact of their communications efforts and how to shape them.
Session Resources:
IPR-Cision Report: The Business Case for Addressing Employee Mental Health
Founded in 1956, the Institute for Public Relations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation dedicated to fostering greater use of research and research-based knowledge in public relations and corporate communication practice.
Pedagogy is an essential aspect of education, and effective pedagogical practices are critical for ensuring that students achieve their full potential.
On April 27, our panelists led a conversation on pedagogy and mindfulness, or how PR educators can create effective learning environments. In this session, attendees will better understand the cognitive, social, emotional, and cultural factors that affect the learning process, and how to use this knowledge to develop effective teaching strategies.
View this playback to understand how to motivate students to learn, how to provide feedback that supports learning, and how to create inclusive and equitable learning environments.
Panelists:
Tara L. Smith, M.S., APR of the University of Delaware
Kathleen Donohue Rennie, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA of New Jersey City University School of Business
Nandini Bhalla, Ph.D. of Texas State University
Kersten Bergstrom, Ph.D. of Washington State University
Resources Shared:
– A Bibliometric Analysis of Publications Indexed in Web of Science https://www.researchgate.net/publicat…
– Feeling Overwhelmed? Try the RAIN Meditation: https://www.mindful.org/tara-brach-ra…
– Isha Kriya: A Guided Meditation For Health And Wellbeing | 15-Minutes: 
• Isha Kriya: A Gui…
– Self-compassion exercises by Dr. Kristin Neff: https://self-compassion.org/category/…
– Smiling Mind: https://www.smilingmind.com.au
Founded in 1956, the Institute for Public Relations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation dedicated to fostering greater use of research and research-based knowledge in public relations and corporate communication practice.
The Institute for Public Relations, PRSA Educators Academy, and the University of Texas at Austin Moody College of Communication, are proud to bring you the 2023 season of Diversity in the PR Classroom! This is a free virtual discussion series for educators to learn how to incorporate diversity in the current state of PR education.
In this Womens History Month session of Diversity in the PR Classroom, Patrice Tanaka (Joyful Planet), Cara Hawkins-Jedlicka (Washington State University), and Sarab Kochhar, Ph.D. (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), speak on how female PR leaders have driven social change within the industry, and how educators can inspire the future generation of women in PR.
Key Moments:
Women in Technology: Catalysts for Change
Social Awareness Requires Action
Women’s Crises are Public Health Crises
Resources:
Check out Cara Hawkins-Jedlicka’s podcast: https://www.startingline1928.com/
The Institute for Public Relations, PRSA Educators Academy, and the University of Texas at Austin Moody College of Communication, are proud to bring you the 2023 season of Diversity in the PR Classroom! This is a free virtual discussion series for educators to learn how to incorporate race in the current state of PR education.
In this session, Carmella Glover of the Diversity Action Alliance (Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated), Eric Winkfield of M Booth (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity), and Asha S. Jones of the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals (Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated) have a discussion on the rich history of the Divine 9. Our panelists also discussed how their membership influenced their careers and who they are as people and professionals today.
In this session, Dr. Chelsea Reynolds of California State University, Fullerton, Dr. Brenda Wrigley of Curry College, and Byron Kimball of Mixte Communications discuss the nuances of what it means to be in the LBGTQIA+ community. Our panelists also discuss how to navigate the challenges facing the LGBTQIA+ community in the classroom and in the profession.
Resources from the session:
https://transstudent.org/gender/
https://fanshawec.libguides.com/LGBTQ…
The Institute for Public Relations, PRSA Educators Academy, and the University of Texas at Austin Moody College of Communication, are proud to bring you the 2022-23 season of Race in the PR Classroom! This is a free monthly virtual discussion series for educators to learn how to incorporate race in the current state of PR education.
In this episode, Dr. Meta Carstarphen (University of Oklahoma) moderates a Q&A panel with Candace Hamana (Badger PR), April Tinhorn (TINHORN), and Dr. Dustin Tahmahkera (University of Oklahoma) on tribal sovereignty and how their Indigenous cultures influence storytelling.
Resources: Cinematic Comanches: The Lone Ranger in the Media Borderlands, University of Nebraska Press: https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/neb…
Tribal Television: Viewing Native People in Sitcoms, University of North Carolina Press: https://uncpress.org/book/97814696186…
Most of the press surrounding historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) focus on the top five HBCUs or “The Power Five,” but there are 107 HBCUs in the US. In this session, our panelists will share their experiences of attending and teaching at HBCUs outside of the “The Power Five,” and how to best support students and faculty of color.
Session 14:
Resources:
- SCOM 2021
- Barriers, Borders, and Boundaries: Exploring Why There Are So Few African-American Males in the Public Relations Profession